Better
by Lily10
Summary: 20 truths about Gino and Kallen. -updated with 20 more-
1. because you're hot

**Title**: Better  
**Author**: Lily  
**Characters/Pairings**: Gino x Kallen  
**Summary**: 20 truths about Gino and Kallen.

**A/N**: It's official. Crack pairings are my calling

* * *

**1.** If there was one thing Gino had to pick about Kallen that he loved, it would be her hair.

Red was such a vibrant color; always loud, always demanding attention, and never subtle. Red was passion. Red was provoking. Wherever there was red of any hue, there was always trouble.

It suited her.

"So does the carpet match the drapes?" He asked her cheekily.

* * *

**2.** "Nice punch, Kallen!" Tamaki called out during Gino's aerial path to the wall.

* * *

**3.** Gino made Kallen uncomfortable in ways she couldn't explain. She could never tell what he was thinking about her and sometimes, when he watched her, she felt like he was peeling aside all her carefully built shields and seeing things that she wanted no one to see.

It was silly. He was weird and annoying, not psychic, but still, she hated the feeling of vulnerability that came with his scrutinizing glances.

* * *

**4.** When Gino decided to join the Black Knights, Kallen was suspicious at first.

"Why?" She asked, and pointed out that he'd be going against Britannia.

"The same as you." He gave her a sideways stare. "I'm fighting for something inside me. Everyone has their own version of a future they're willing to protect."

There was a flash of white as she rolled her eyes. "Don't be so dramatic."

And Gino smiled and gave her a rather impertinent poke in her most ticklish rib, making her jump out of her skin and send him a glare that would have killed a lesser man.

* * *

**5.** "You set this up on purpose." Kallen accused him boldly, and gestured to the mistletoe dangling ostentatiously above their heads.

Gino quirked an eyebrow and pressed one hand to his chest as if to silently ask, _who, me?_ He was the very picture of innocence, and she didn't buy his act one bit.

But she went to press her lips against his cheek anyways because _hey_, it was Christmas --

* * *

**6.** -- she was _not_ expecting for him to turn his head slightly, so that her kiss fell squarely on his lips.

* * *

**7.** The first time Gino saw Kallen, he couldn't keep his eyes off her.

He would later proclaim that it was love at first sight.

* * *

**8.** The first time Kallen saw Gino, she wondered if he was gay.

In her defense, he _was_ hanging all over Suzaku like a fan boy. And Suzaku... well, she was pretty confidant about which side she thought _he_ swung...

* * *

**9.** Kallen always had bad luck when it concerned boys seeing her in the nude so when Gino accidentally stumbled into her room while she was changing, she merely ducked behind the door and let out a girlish squeal of indignation.

There are some things that not many people get a chance to see. One was seeing Gino Weinberg rendered completely speechless. It took a shoe thrown at his head and some prolonged throat clearing from Kallen to get his attention. And even then, he _intended_ to look away - he truly did - but couldn't quite convince his eyes to cooperate.

* * *

**10.** Ougi and Villeta had a lovely Japanese western style wedding. It was an elaborate ceremony held at a chapel within a hotel.

A little sad that her brother wasn't alive to witness Ougi finally retiring from bachelorhood and succumbing to self-pity over her own spinsterhood, Kallen got drunk off her ass at the reception and spent the entire night singing karaoke with an equally drunk Tamaki and also drooling over Gino's chest as they awkwardly swayed on the dance floor vaguely in time to the music.

"You're too damn tall," Kallen complained after attempting several times to rest her head on Gino's shoulder.

"Sorry!" He cheerfully apologized and bent his upper torso down until he was hunching oddly.

"Thaaaaat's better," she murmured drunkenly and Gino continued swaying with her even as his back strained against the uncomfortable position.

* * *

**11.** At 3:13 am, Ougi became the proud father of a healthy newborn son. Unfortunately, he was unconscious for most of the delivery after Villetta had knocked him out during the painful earlier stages of labour.

He managed to wake up in time to cut the umbilical cord however and announce to everyone gathered inside the hospital room that they were planning on naming the baby, "Naoto".

Misty eyed, Kallen was one of the first to hold the little bundle of life in her arms and marvel at how tiny he was. That was when Gino leaned down and whispered in her ear: "You know, _our_ kids would be so much better looking."

Kallen's eyes widened. "Excuse me?"

"I'd like five _at least_." Gino continued thoughtfully. "More would be even better... ow!"

* * *

**12.** Gino loved battle not for its gore and blood and death, but for the easy grace with which it came to him. Kallen loved battle because it called to something in her blood that heated and thrummed; that made her want to fight that much harder for what she believed in.

Their ties to one another were born from that last decisive battle against Britannia, against Lelouch, - of victories and losses. Difficult bonds to break… memories of blood, sweat, and comradery…. difficult ones to forget. Gino could still feel the sweat that plastered his hair to his head and the crackling aftermath of the Guren's radiation emitter.

* * *

****

--

**13.** Afterwards, he had grabbed her around the waist and spun her around, looking straight into her eyes.

"You are fire. You truly are."

* * *

**14.** Perhaps the most startling thing about Gino was that he could knit.

"I can knit." He told Kallen out-of-the-blue one day.

"Wow... you're so hardcore," Kallen said flatly. But she was also curious. How could some rich boy - well, before Emperor Lelouch had abolished the nobility system that is - know how to knit? And more importantly... _why?_

"My nanny growing up taught me," Gino explained as if he could read her thoughts, "I could never sit still as a kid so she was always introducing me to quieter pastimes."

* * *

**15.** Kallen would not recall their conversation again until her birthday rolled around weeks later.

"I wanted to wrap you up in my love," Gino said about his gift and grinned. "What do you think?"

Kallen unfolded the bright blue sweater, and studied the enormous crooked pink heart on the chest. The sleeves dangled off the couch and trailed onto the ground.

* * *

**16.** "...It's not really me," she answered honestly, and vowed never to wear it.

Ever.

* * *

**17.** Kallen was getting good at shooting Gino down before he could open his mouth to ask her for a date. It didn't stop the blonde from trying though, bless his soul.

"Come on," Gino cooed. "It'll be like...an adventure."

"An _adventure?_ Well, when you put it that way, I just _have_ to say yes."

"Really?"

"No."

* * *

**18.** On the eighty-eighth time of him asking and her refusing, Kallen told him to give her three good reasons why he wanted to go out with her.

"Because you're hot," Gino immediately ticked off with his fingers, "and you're a red-head…"

Kallen made a speed it up gesture with her hands.

"And you can cut cucumber slices really really thin."

"...You like how I slice cucumbers." Kallen repeated.

"Love makes you admire funny things about a person." Gino said gravely.

* * *

**19.** Their first official date was at the local petting zoo. Gino ended up being chased by a llama and Kallen ended up having the most screwed up, unpredictable, laugh a minute, never a dull moment, day she had ever had in her whole life.

* * *

**20.** She wore the sweater.

* * *


	2. for all the tea in china

**21. **If there was one thing that could be said about Gino and his budding relationship with Kallen, was that he could get jealous. Almost insanely so.

"You have a picture of Lelouch on your wall." He pointed out when he first saw her bedroom.

Kallen rolled her eyes. "Uh huh."

Gino continued examining each photo decorating her bulletin board like a hawk. "And one of Suzaku too." He felt the need to add, eyes lingering.

"I also have a picture of Arthur."

Gino whirled around, eyes ablaze. _"Who?"_

Wordlessly, Kallen jabbed a finger at the photo of the cat.

"........" Turning, the blonde went back to scrutinizing the small room until his sharp gaze inevitably landed on a framed photo on top her nightstand. At once, Gino's features darkened. "Who's---"

_"That,"_ Kallen snapped, "is my _brother."_

* * *

**22. **After the war, Kallen had decided to go back to school and finish off her last year at Ashford. She was surprised to see Gino joining her, but she was more shocked when he was elected school council president by a landslide.

His first act in his new role of Presidency, was elect Kallen as Vice-President, much to her horror.

* * *

**  
23.** Apparently, Gino was somewhat of an admirer of the legacy Milly had left behind and seemed just as adamant as the previous blonde about organizing random school events. His most controversial one so far, had been Ashford's Best Couple Contest where everyone was given a rose, and they in turn, had to give it to the couple they thought were the best matched. The couple with the most roses in the end won.  
For some unfathomable reason, Kallen and Gino swept the competition.

* * *

**24.** Gino _swears_ he had nothing to do with it. "They must've seen something irreplaceable between us." He defended.

"Oh I'll irreplace _you._" Kallen threatened, embarrassed beyond relief as they had to walk down the hallway while a procession of scantily-clad maidens strewed their pathway with rose petals.

* * *

**25.** Gino really did have nothing to do with it.

* * *

**26.** Redheads, Gino quickly learned, blushed very easily. And there was absolutely nothing he enjoyed more than watching Kallen's face go through all the shades found in the color wheel. Fuchsia's his favorite. Though purple was amusing, too.

* * *

**27. **On Halloween, Kallen dressed up as a witch, complete with a wart, black glittery hair and pointy hat. Gino nearly had a heart attack when he saw her. But it wasn't because she was scary looking.

"Please tell me that you're wearing a wig." Gino pleaded, averting his face so he wouldn't have to look at her in all her black hair glory.

"Yes." Kallen replied, staring at him oddly.

"Thank god." Gino sighed in relief, and walked away.

After that, she knew for certain that Gino had some sort of red hair fetish.

* * *

**28.** After their crazy shenanigans at the petting zoo, Gino could not understand why Kallen was playing so hard to get when she_ clearly_ had an amazing time.

"When can we go on our second date?" He would ask her at every opportunity he had. Even when she was trying to get to the Girl's Washroom.

Kallen would blush, scowl, and avoid him like the plague. The thing was --- she was scared. Once you have had a successful first date, a second date had all these unspoken expectations. She started questioning the situation and worrying unnecessarily. And when Kallen was uncomfortable about something of this nature, she avoided it.

Now Gino was a patient guy. You would _have_ to be in order to take a romantic interest in Kallen. But even he had his limits. The fact that she kept giving him mixed signals was the last straw that broke the camel's back. He was pretty damn sure he had done all he could to make his feelings be known, just short of hiring a plane to sprawl out the words, "I want to make babies with Kozuki Kallen" in the sky. And he believed that she had at least an _inkling _of interest in him. But if she was going to be such a _tease_…

So he ignored her. Much to everyone's bewilderment at school, Gino no longer complimented Kallen on her cucumber slices or how good she looked in her school uniform. He did not even speak to her or look in her general direction.

* * *

**29.** The snubbing of Kallen lasted for maybe two days before Gino finally snapped and pulled her into the most passionate kiss the students of Ashford had ever witnessed. It was hands down, the most talked about news in the history of the school's establishment.

Gino also set a new record for Longest Aerial Path From A Single Punch that day.

* * *

**30. **In truth, the snub had done little to influence Kallen at first. She enjoyed leaving her home without getting accosted by a certain blonde who insisted he walk her to and from school every day, even during the days when they had no school. She found she had more time to study since things were a lot quieter now without Gino around. She even began taking up various hobbies that she'd always wanted to try..

But then the silence got to be _too_ stifling so Kallen began leaving the T.V on in the background and making unnecessary noises, like slamming the doors or clanging pots and pans together. The walk from her house to school suddenly became very lonely and classes at Ashford grew rather boring to attend when no one was trying to pass her random notes under the teacher's nose.

And then it hit her one night as she was knitting a suspiciously familiar blue sweater. A sinking, writhing feeling deep in her gut that wouldn't go away.

She missed Gino.

She missed his blonde hair and the fact that he could touch his tongue to his nose and how he always remembered to return his library books on time.

Love really did make you admire strange things about someone.

* * *

**31. **...Wait, did she just say love? Because she meant like. _Like,_ not love. Totally not love.

Yeah.

* * *

**32.** When Naoto had entrusted Ougi to take his place and look after his little sister for him, no one could have imagined that Ougi would cover _all_ aspects of an older brother's responsibility.

One day, Gino was pleasantly confused when he received word that the Prime Minister of the United States of Japan wanted a word with him. Escorted into a large office, he had a fright when a giant leather executive chair swiveled around to reveal the form of Kaname Ougi.

"Good morning, Gino." Ougi said, chin resting on top of his intertwined hands, "So glad you could make it."

Gino couldn't help but laugh a bit. "Shouldn't you be stroking a white cat or something?"

"What are your intentions with Kallen?" Ougi immediately questioned, ignoring the remark.

Gino was understandably caught off guard. "Excuse me?"

"I hope you realize she isn't some floozy you can do with as you please." Ougi continued sternly, "Kallen is a beautiful, strong, independent young woman who deserves to be treated with respect, you understand?"

Realizing, too late, the true nature of this visit, Gino knew he was treading on thin ice and held up his hands defensively. "Of course, of course. Kallen is someone really special to me." He plastered on a reassuring grin. "I've never felt this way about another girl before. In fact, I can't picture myself with any other woman but her." There, that ought to satisfy him.

"Now wait just a moment here." The other man was quick on the offense. "You sound like your planning your wedding already." Ougi's sources had informed him that the young couple had only gone on one date thus far. "A little early to be hearing bells, don't cha think?"

Gino's eyes widened. It took a lot for him to be intimidated by someone, but for some reason, Ougi was really scaring him at the moment. Maybe it was the sideburns. They definitely looked capable of individual thought and the devouring of small children.

"Of course not." Gino laughed nervously, feeling his cool composure slipping slightly in the face of Ougi's brotherly over-protectiveness. "I'm not planning on marryin---"

"Are you saying she isn't marriage-potential?"

Gino stared. There was just no winning with this guy.

* * *

**33.** It was three hours later of interrogation hell before Gino left Ougi's office, pale and shaking. The amazing thing about it however, was that Gino continued to see Kallen despite Ougi's dark, foreboding shadow marring the background of their delicate relationship. And it was because of this, that Gino eventually earned Ougi's blessing, although, he shrewdly believed that Viletta had, had some influence in getting Ougi to accept that Gino wasn't a complete douche bag either.

* * *

**34. **Their second official date was at the beach where Kallen learned of Gino's inability to swim. She watched amused, as he made some poor resemblance of a doggy-paddle before finally succumbing to the watery abyss and sinking like a rock .

"You _are_ aware that the water is only three feet deep, right?" She remarked dryly.

There was a half nod of affirmation, and then an odd jerk of head that seemed to say Gino was remembering more than he wanted to.

It wasn't just that he didn't know how to swim either. Gino apparently hated the water.

He shivered like a lost puppy every time his line of vision landed on the ocean and would much rather play in the sand like an oversized twelve-year old.

* * *

**35.** "Why did you even suggest coming here, if you don't like being around water?" Kallen asked.

Gino laughed guiltily. "I wanted to see you in a bathing suit." He admitted.

* * *

**36.** And the lure of all the tea in China could not compare to the pink sheen gracing Kallen's visage at his comment.

* * *

**37. **Sometimes Kallen gets a haunted look in her eyes and those are the moments where Gino knows he needs to leave her alone. Sometimes, she talks about her past life as a terrorist charading as an innocent school girl with a bittersweet smile. Other times she is sullen, contemplative and moody. Nunnally sends her invitations for tea all the time, though Kallen is not quite ready to face the crippled girl yet. But Gino never worries because she told him once, that someone important had wanted her to live on and she of course, never did anything by halves.

**

* * *

**

**38.** On their fourth official date at the mall, Gino proposed.

"What are you doing?" Kallen inquired, raising her eyebrow as Gino got down on one knee and held out an imaginary ring.

"Practicing," He grinned. "For when we inevitably _do_ get engaged.... _ow!"_

* * *

**39. **It was almost a joke that after all his escapades as a Knight of Rounds, the closest Gino had ever been to death was a run-in collision with a drunk driver.

After waking up from his three day coma, Gino found himself lying in a hospital bed with Kallen at his bedside. She had tears in her eyes and she was holding his hand like a lifeline.

"I like how you return your library books on time." Kallen confessed.

* * *

**40. **Gino smiled and knew it was love.

_**

* * *

A/N.**_ Haha I couldn't help but write more on this wonderful pairing. Anyone have any ideas for some more shenanigans Gino and Kallen can get into? :O


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